Life-saving harness



Dec. 1924- 1,518,830

T. s. WOODS LIFE SAVING HARNESS Filed i une 13, 1923 \B fiY v o o o 3;:- in o u 9 0 0 o H p INVENT OR TH OMAS S. WOO S HTTORNE Y Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,518,830 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS S. WOO'DS, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA.

LIFE-SAVING HARNESS.

Application filedJune 13, 1923. Serial No. 645,075.

' tion.

My invention relates to a harness by means of which an injured or helpless person may be secured upon the back of the wearer and carried to a place of safety, and is designed primarily for the use of firemen in carrying persons from burning buildings, and the object thereof is to provide a device of the above character by means of which the person may be carried upon the back of the wearer down a ladder without in any way interfering with the movements of the wearer.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character by means of which the person to be carried may be easily and quickly securely fastened upon the back of the wearer in such position as to be unable to interfere with the wearer.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character which will leave the arms and hands of the wearer free from interference.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereof:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device in operation, showing the method of carrying an injured or helpless person down a ladder.

Fig. 2 is a front perspective view of my harness detached from its place of use.

Referring to the drawings, my device comprises a belt 5, of a size sufficient to be passed around the waists of the wearer and the injured person, a buckle 6 and apertures 7 being provided for adjustment. Extend ing upwardly from near the center of the back portion of belt 5 are the shoulder straps 8 and 9 which extend upwardly and are crossed at 10 and then pass over and down the front of the shoulders where they terminate in buckles 11 and 19.. Extending upwardly from the front of the belt 5 are the connecting straps 13 and 14 provided with apertures 15 and 16 for connection to buckles 11 and 12, whereby the device is secured over the shoulders of the wearers. Straps 8 and 9 pass below belt 5 at an angle outwardly and then pass downwardly and between the legs of the person being carried,

and then extend upwardly and terminate in snap hooks 17 and 18 adapted to engage loops 19 and 20 secured to belt 5 at the lower termination of straps 13 and 14;

In the operation of my device in the case of a helpless person lying upon the floor, the

harness will be first spread upon the floor at the side of the helpless person in its open position. The helpless person will then be rolled over on to the harness, face upwards.

The wearer will then position himself upon the helpless person, also face upwards; the belt strap will then be secured in position,

then the leg straps will be positioned by passing the same between the legs of the helpless person and on the outside of the legs of the wearer; the shoulder straps and connecting straps will be connected together, the particular apertures 15 and 16 being used which will provide the necessary degree of tightness. The wearer will then roll over upon his hands and knees and get upon his feet when the person being carried may be transported to a place of safety.

Having described my device, what I claim 1s:

1. A life saving harness comprising a belt; shoulder straps extending upwardly from the rear of said belt and being crossed to pass over the shoulders; connecting straps secured at their lower ends to the front of said belt; a detachable connection between the free ends of said shoulder and connecting straps; leg straps extending downwardly from the rear of said belt being adapted to pass through the legs of the burden, and having their free ends detachably connected to the front of said belt; and an adjustable connection for the free ends of said belt.

2. A life saving harness comprising a belt adapted to be passed around the waists of the wearer and a person being carried, said belt being provided with shoulder straps adapted to be passed over the shoulders of the person and the wearer; and leg straps adapted to be passed through and beneath the legs of the person being carried and at the side of the legs of the wearer; and adjustable connect-ions for all of said straps.

3. A life saving harness comprising a belt; shoulder straps connected to the back portion of said belt, near the center thereof, and adapted to pass upward and over the shoulders of a wearer and a person carried by said wearer; connecting straps secured at their lower ends to the front of said belt; adjustable connections between the free ends of said shoulder and connecting straps; leg straps extending downwardly from the rear of said belt and having their free ends detachably connected to the front of said belt; a detachable connection for the free ends of said belt; and means to adjust the size of said belt.

- 4. A life saving harness composed of a belt; supporting straps secured intermediate their endsto the rear of said belt in spaced relation, said supporting straps passing upwardly from said belt and being crossed and then passing to and being connected to the front or said belt in spaced relation; and detachable connections for all of'sa-id members.

5. A life saving harness comprising an adjustable belt adapted to be passed around the waist of a wearer and a person-being carried; supporting straps secured interme- I diatetheir length to the rear of said belt in spaced relation, then passing upward diagonally towards each other and being secured together at the point of intersection,

then passing downwardly and being secured to the front of said be1t,=.the other ends of immediately below the connection of the other ends of said straps; and adjustable connections between said belt and supporting I straps.

6. A life saving harness comprising a belt; supporting straps secured to the rear of said belt intermediate their ends to extend at right angles thereto, the upper ends of said straps being adapted to pass diagonally over the shoulders oi a wearer and having their free-ends adjustably connected to the front of said belt. the lower ends of said straps being adapted to pass downwardly beneaththe legs of a person being carried and having theirfree ends detachably connected to the front of said belt; and adjustable connections for the free ends of said belt.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of March, 1923.

' THOMAS s. Woons. 

